the current foreign minister, katsuya okada, has accepted kan's request for him to become the democratic party's secretary-gener secretary-general. chief cabinet secretary yoshio sengoku and finance minister yoshihiko noda are expected to retain their posts. in the new party executive line-up kan asked former party secretary-general ichiro ozawa and the party's upper house leader, azuma koshiishi to serve as his deputies. however, koshiishi told aides that both he and ozawa have declined the offer. now, on friday morning kan accepted the resignations of all current ministers at a cabinet meeting. before he launches his new cabinet this afternoon he will formally appoint new party executives at a meeting of all legislators from the party. the party meeting is expected to start soon. on friday afternoon kan will meet shizuka kamei, the leader of the coalition partner. after that he'll announce the line-up of the new cabinet. >>> eight years ago today north korea acknowledged it had abducted japanese nationals. however, a sense of disappointment lingers among relatives of the abductees. on